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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23224903">Augury</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretentiouskneecap/pseuds/pretentiouskneecap'>pretentiouskneecap</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Birds, Day 4: Birds/Soulmate AU, Fair Game Week (RWBY), Fair Game Week 2020, M/M, Secrets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:42:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23224903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretentiouskneecap/pseuds/pretentiouskneecap</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On the way to Vacuo, an unexpected encounter brings some secrets into the light.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>124</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Augury</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Fair Game Week Day 4: Birds<s>/Soulmate AU</s></p><p>Please enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a black bird in the tree.</p><p>The bird was large, easily as long as his arm, with unkempt, puffed up feathers. It ruffled its wings as it stared at Clover.</p><p>Clover couldn’t be entirely sure, but it seemed like the bird had been following him. He’d seen what appeared to be the same bird multiple times over the past few weeks as they’d begun their trek toward Vacuo. It was quite possible Clover had grown a bit paranoid, because each time he’d noticed it, it had felt like its red eyes were focused on him.</p><p>He took a step toward it in curiosity and immediately ground to a halt as the bird croaked loudly before taking flight with a powerful flap of its wings, disappearing farther into the forest.</p><p>Clover followed it with his gaze for a few seconds before shrugging and turning back around in the direction of their campsite. He had barely taken a step when a familiar flash of black and red appeared at the periphery of his vision.</p><p>He turned around with a grin, a greeting on his lips before he took in who was standing next to him and stopped short.</p><p>Dark black hair, sharp cheekbones, red fabric at her back. From the corner of his eye she could’ve been Qrow, but where Qrow’s eyes burned quietly, hers had an unnerving fever-like intensity.</p><p>“Raven,” he said, cutting her off as she went to speak, relying on his years of military training to keep his voice even while his mind raced ahead. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”</p><p>‘A lot’ was probably an overstatement. Qrow had told him about Raven a while back when he caught him up on what happened in Haven, giving him the basics: how Yang, Raven, and the Spring Maiden had gone to get the relic and been attacked by Cinder. How, in the ensuing fight, Cinder had been defeated, the Maiden killed, Raven escaped, and Yang emerged with the relic in her hand.</p><p>He could read Qrow well enough by now to be able to tell his sister was a painful subject. He could tell Yang felt the same, the way she closed off or skirted the topic in the few instances her mother’s name came up.</p><p>None of it made him inclined to like Raven very much. But it was enough to know that he should avoid letting her have too much of an upper hand in this conversation, even if he didn’t know why she was here.</p><p>She narrowed her eyes, a scowl twisting her lips at his interruption. “Yes, I’m sure Qrow has told you all kinds of stories about me. You might want to think twice before you believe everything he tells you.”</p><p>“He told me you betrayed him at Haven. That you turned your back on your family in order to work with Salem because you were afraid of what she could do.”</p><p>“Qrow and I have a very different idea of what constitutes <em>family</em>.”</p><p>Clover thought about the little he knew about the tribe currently lead by the woman in front of him. “Clearly. So why are you here, instead of with your tribe?”</p><p>“When I saw my brother and daughter were travelling with one of Ironwood’s dogs after Atlas fell, I got curious. You’re not Qrow’s usual type,” she shrugged, looking a bit annoyed about the whole thing. “I wanted to know what kind of man my brother and daughter have been travelling with these past few months. Can’t say I’m that impressed so far, to be honest.”</p><p>As if Clover would let her opinion rattle him. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you.”</p><p>“I have to say, I do wonder what possessed you to leave with their little group. Didn’t feel the need to stay and rebuild your kingdom?” she sneered at him.</p><p>A familiar pang of guilt stabbed in his chest at the accusation, but Clover didn’t let it show. He had made his decision. He hadn’t had cause to doubt it yet.</p><p>“There are plenty of good people still working to help Mantle and Atlas. I trust them to do whatever they can to make sure the people stay safe,” he said, thinking of Robyn and her allies.</p><p>Raven snorted disdainfully. “So you decided to throw your life away on a hopeless cause.”</p><p>“That may be your view. I don’t back down so easily.”</p><p>“It’s not <em>backing down</em> if it’s necessary to survive!”</p><p>His voice hardened. “Is that what you told Yang and Qrow when you betrayed them?”</p><p>“I warned them what would happen! Look at everything that went down in Atlas- Salem can’t be beaten! And you’re all fools for trying,” she snarled. Flames appeared at the corner of her eyes and no amount of control could’ve stopped his instinctive step back or the shocked expression that spread across his face.</p><p>Abruptly, she paused. Her eyes widened and the fire extinguished. “He didn’t tell you.”</p><p>She started laughing then, long and triumphant, and something in Clover’s chest twisted in dread at the sound of it.</p><p>“Well, well, well,” she continued, “maybe you’re not as much a part of the group as you think you are. I would’ve thought he’d trust you better by now, but I guess I was wrong.”</p><p>“Qrow trusts me well enough,” he defended.</p><p>“Really? Are you sure?” her face took on a devious smile. “Did he even tell you about<em> this</em>?”</p><p>In the space of a blink, the woman before him disappeared. In her place was a bird, extending its large wings and flying in a lazy vertical arc. He had barely a second to recognize the bird as the one that he’d seen these past few weeks before another moment passed and Raven was back where she’d been before. Clover shut his jaw with a <em>snap, </em>but one look at Raven’s face told him she’d seen plenty.</p><p>“So, he really hasn’t told you <em>anything</em>,” Raven mused, and her smirk of satisfaction almost made Clover lose the death grip he had over his emotions. “He can do it too, you know.”</p><p>She kept speaking, but Clover couldn’t hear the words over the rushing in his ears. Raven could turn into a bird. A bird that had been watching them, watching <em>him</em>, the past few weeks. And, apparently, Qrow could too. Something he’d thus far decided not to share with him.</p><p>His hearing faded back in as Raven’s tirade peaked in intensity.</p><p>“Doesn’t that bother you? The fact that you’re out here risking your life for them and they haven’t told you any of this?”</p><p>The onslaught of information had rocked Clover to his core. <em>Did </em>Qrow trust him? He’d thought so, but now…</p><p>Either way, he wouldn’t, <em>couldn’t</em> let Raven know she was getting to him anymore than he already had.</p><p>“I trust Qrow,” he said, finding his voice. That trust was shaken for the moment but it was still true. “We’re partners, something you don’t seem to know much about these days.”</p><p>“Yes, yes, I know all about how your semblances are opposites. It’s cute. Adorable, even. You must be a hit at parties,” she waived her hand in the air, unimpressed by his attempt to turn the conversation on her. “Doesn’t change the fact that my brother is a nothing more than bundle of woe and misfortune, still pathetically following the orders of a man who betrayed him. He’ll drag you down if you let him. A man with your abilities could do a lot better than being used to compensate for my brother’s failings, don’t you think?”</p><p>“<em>Don’t </em>talk about him like that,” he snapped in the tone he’d once used to discipline cadets who put their teammates in danger. It worked significantly less well here, to his utter lack of surprise.</p><p>“Such a good, loyal guard dog. I can tell you are Atlas military after all,” Raven’s voice was practically a purr. Her tone, Clover thought with a repressed shiver down his spine, was eerily reminiscent of Yang when she knew she was about to get her way.</p><p>“I know you don’t trust me, handsome, and you shouldn’t, but believe me on this: Qrow, Ozpin, my daughter and the others, they’re not worth it. You think you’re fond of them now, but think about what you’ve already lost since you met them. Your home, your career, your reputation. They’ll use you until you’re dead or spent so completely you have nothing left to give, and when that happens don’t expect them to thank you for any of it.”</p><p>With a flick of her wrist, she had her sword out, slashing it through the air next to her. Clover barely had time to tighten his hand on Kingfisher before a red gash appeared above the ground, swirling red and black energy surrounding the center that showed flashes of someone on the other side.</p><p>Raven placed the grimm mask over her head, turning around to show him its impassive face as she stepped through the portal. “When everything falls apart, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”</p><p>-</p><p>Clover emerged through the trees into the site of their little camp. Qrow was sitting at the fire, pulling out supplies in preparation for dinner. A cursory glance around told him that none of the kids were nearby, a stroke of good luck that he privately thanked his semblance for, if it even had anything to do with it. He preferred to be alone with Qrow for this conversation.</p><p>“Hey,” Qrow called out to him with a small smile as he noticed Clover standing at the edge of the clearing. “There you are. That took you a while, I was about to come looking for you.”</p><p>Clover walked closer but stayed silent. He couldn’t bring himself to speak yet. Hadn’t decided where to even start.</p><p>“Clover?” Qrow’s tone was worried now as he took in the expression on Clover’s face. Clover wasn’t even sure what it was. The longer he looked at Qrow, the more he could feel his control slipping. “Is everything okay? Are you hurt?”</p><p>Clover stopped a few feet from Qrow, still standing. He didn’t think he could bring himself to sit. Within a moment, Qrow had gotten to his feet as well. He started to move closer before Clover looked at him, stopped in his tracks by whatever he saw in his eyes.</p><p>“Do you trust me?” Clover asked, proud of the way his voice stayed calm through the question.</p><p>Qrow’s eyes widened, the lines of concern on his face deepening. “Clover, what’s this about?”</p><p>He hadn’t given an answer. Clover didn’t look away.</p><p>“Qrow. Do you trust me?”</p><p>“I- yes, of course. We’ve been fighting together for months.” Qrow’s eyes were wary. “Clover, please, what brought this on?”</p><p>The firm tone of Qrow’s reply had Clover’s shoulders relaxing somewhat, although it didn’t escape his notice that Qrow had hesitated.</p><p>“I ran into Raven in the forest,” Clover said, quietly.</p><p>“You <em>what</em>?” Qrow cursed under his breath while his hand jolted forward as if to reach out to him before he drew it back. “Are you okay?”</p><p>Clover ignored the question. He thought about pressing Qrow for more answers before explaining, but he needed to know.</p><p>“Did you know Raven was the Spring Maiden?” Clover asked bluntly.</p><p>Alarm flashed over Qrow’s face, followed by realization and understanding, which was somewhat reassuring. His eyes roamed over Clover, as if checking for injury. Clover didn’t doubt that Qrow could put on an act if he wanted to but the rapid flit of emotions over his face seemed genuine. </p><p>“I may have had a suspicion,” Qrow admitted. “But no, I didn’t know anything for sure.” </p><p>Clover felt the coil of tension inside him loosen. That was the more important issue. Although the next point couldn’t be denied, unless Raven had lied to him. </p><p>Clover glanced toward the crackle of the fire and then back again. Qrow was still looking at him anxiously. </p><p>“And were you ever going to tell me you could change into a bird?” </p><p>Qrow’s mouth twisted. “She showed you that, huh?” He sighed. “Look, I wanted to, I just...” he trailed off and gave a tense shrug. Clover gave him a short nod.</p><p>“Okay,” he said, his voice bland. “I’m gonna go take a walk.”</p><p>Qrow opened his mouth as if to protest and Clover cut him off. “I just need some time to process. I promise I’ll be back in a few hours, alright?” </p><p>Qrow nodded, looking stricken, although there was something resigned in his expression, as if he wasn’t surprised by what was happening. That hurt worse than the rest had altogether. </p><p>Clover turned and walked back into the trees. </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>Clover sat on the side of a hill at the edge of the forest, mindlessly plucking strands of grass from the ground. He wasn’t entirely sure how long he’d been sitting there but by the position of the sun he guessed it’d been at least a couple of hours.</p><p>The time to think through everything he’d found out over the day had done wonders for the prickling feeling under his skin as he’d walked away from the campsite. An ache under his ribcage was left in its place, and it only worsened as he thought back to Qrow’s expression when he’d left.</p><p>It was time to go back.</p><p>He’d just shifted his hands and prepared to rise when the flapping of wings caught his attention. He looked up to see a crow swoop down and land next to his knee, feathers settling as it tucked in its wings and something green poking from its beak. The crow was smaller and sleeker than Raven had been as a bird, although it was still large for its species. The dark feathers caught the rays of the sun as it set, iridescent color rippling across them as the bird hopped from foot to foot.</p><p>He blinked. “Qrow?”</p><p>The bird chittered, as if agreeing with him. He extended his hand out and the bird eyed it, red eyes glancing back and forth between his hand and his face before it hopped onto his open palm. Its beak opened, dropping something green into his lap. He picked it up with his unoccupied hand, raising the four-leaf clover to his face, twirling the stalk in his fingers as he examined it.</p><p>“This is for me?” he asked, a small smile finding its way onto his face. Qrow- and it was weird, to think of the bird as his partner- let out a soft <em>caw</em> in response. “Where did you manage to find this? How long did you look?”</p><p>Qrow moved his wings in a way that might have been a shrug, if it were on a human. It was a more than a bit unnerving to see it on a bird.</p><p>He placed the clover on his knee, slowly reaching out toward Qrow with two fingers. When Qrow didn’t back away, ducking his head in invitation, Clover stroked them gently along the tip of his wings. The feel of the feathers was soft in his hands, he realized with a bit of wonder. He felt a shiver run through the little body in response.</p><p>Clover thought again of the time Qrow must have put in to find him the present resting on his knee, and the vulnerability he was showing now. His stomach turned with guilt and gratitude.</p><p>“Can we talk?” Clover asked quietly. “I want to say some things, but I’d rather not say them to a bird, if that’s alright.”</p><p>Qrow the bird hopped away with a ruffle of dark feathers and within a blink Qrow the human was kneeling across from him. Clover could see Qrow move to speak, and from the sorrowful expression on his face he thought he had a good idea of what he was about to say. So he spoke before Qrow could, cutting off a Branwen twin for the third time that day.</p><p>“I’m sorry I came at you like that earlier,” Clover began, and Qrow startled in shock in front of him. “There was… a lot of information to take in at once and I didn’t handle it as well as I could have.”</p><p>Clover let out a slow breath. “I’ve been off-kilter ever since Atlas. Finding my balance after everything that happened has been taking longer than I thought, and then this. It threw me off because I wasn’t ready for it. But that’s not an excuse for the way I made accusations at you. You didn’t deserve that, and I truly am sorry.”</p><p>Qrow sucked in a sharp breath next to him.</p><p>“Clover,” he said, and the guilt in his voice made Clover’s stomach twist. “<em>You</em> don’t have anything to apologize for. You left your home for us, and you’ve proved yourself trustworthy ever since we set off. I do trust you. I should have told you about my- well, about me, much earlier. I’m sorry that I didn’t.”</p><p>Clover shook his head. “I can understand it. You were a spy for a long time, keeping that ability secret helped you do your job. It kept you safe. I can’t blame you for being cautious about sharing it.”</p><p>“Well, you’re right about that,” Qrow said with a grimace. “I still should’ve told you. I know you’re not dangerous to me.”</p><p>Clover felt his chest warm. The statement was simple, but he knew what it meant for Qrow to say it.</p><p>Qrow continued, “I’m also sorry about Raven, about giving her something to hold over you. I shouldn’t have let her get to you like that."</p><p>Clover huffed out a bit of a laugh. “I’m sure Raven finds a way to get to people no matter what, if she wants to.”</p><p>The haunted look in Qrow’s eyes told him he wasn’t wrong. He paused, weighing his next words.</p><p>“She told me not to trust you,” he said, pausing as Qrow’s expression turned defeated. Clover hated seeing that look on his face. “But I do. Is that a mistake?”</p><p>Qrow’s mouth opened, then closed. He glanced at the ground and back up again.</p><p>“Clover, this job, this mission, it’s dangerous. I can’t promise you won’t get hurt-”</p><p>“I know that,” Clover cut him off. “I learned about Salem long before you came to Atlas, Qrow, I understand the risks. I mean, is there anything else I need to know, anything that would affect my ability to make informed decisions in the field, that you’re not telling me? Or that you don’t plan on telling me?”</p><p>“No,” Qrow replied firmly, looking him in the eye.</p><p>Clover’s voice softened. “Good.”</p><p>They sat in comfortable silence for a bit. Clover felt the cool chill of the evening breeze brushing against the warmth of his aura.</p><p>He gentled his voice before he spoke again, knowing this next part would be painful to hear, even if he expected Qrow had already realized it.</p><p>“I think Yang knew Raven was a Maiden.”</p><p>Qrow exhaled a heavy sigh. “I know,” he said, his tone unreadable.</p><p>“She probably has her reasons,” Clover suggested, although he wasn’t sure he would be able to entirely agree with them, whatever they were. To say that she had withheld crucial information was an understatement.</p><p>“I bet she does,” Qrow replied, and the pain in his voice made Clover’s chest ache.</p><p>He reached out, laying a hand on Qrow’s arm and giving it a light squeeze. Qrow sat still under his touch for a moment before his other hand moved to cover Clover’s, Qrow’s thumb brushing random patterns across his skin.</p><p>Another weighty pause settled across them. Suddenly, Clover had an idea of how to lighten the mood. It was a bit childish, perhaps, but he thought they could both use a bit of levity.</p><p>Clover smiled, breaking the tension. “You know, I think I have a way you could make it up to me, if you’re interested.”</p><p>Qrow jerked his head up, expression wary when he took in the mischief in Clover’s eyes. “Oh, really? Like what?”</p><p>“Tell me a secret you’ve never told anyone else. Doesn’t have to be anything big, just something no one else knows.”</p><p>Qrow cocked his head, fingers leaving Clover’s hand to tap on his chin as he considered the request before he started smirking.</p><p>“Back when we were at Beacon, Tai pulled a prank on me on one of our first days. Tried to embarrass me in front of the whole class. So a few months later, before our next practical exam, I stole his weapon and stuffed some of his more… private laundry into the mechanics of it. When he expanded it for the exam, the laundry came spilling out in front of the entire class and the professor." Qrow chuckled, eyes distant as he recalled the memory. "He was mortified. To this day, he still doesn’t know how any of it got in there.”</p><p>Clover chuckled. “Poor Tai. Remind me never to get on your bad side.”</p><p>Qrow laughed. “Don’t worry, I think you’re safe, at least for now.”</p><p>Qrow’s expression sobered slightly as he held Clover’s gaze with his own. “So. We okay?” he asked. Clover felt himself soften, scooting over so he was next to Qrow, shoulders pressed together.</p><p>“Yeah,” he said, gently, “we’re okay.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is very unedited because I was trying to slip it in before midnight in my timezone, so there is definitely a chance I may come back and fix it up some more later. </p><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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